Flush-valve.



- P. 1. PAULY, 1R. & G. TANNER.

' FLUSH VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. 19l5.

1,157,035. Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES: INVENTORS.

5 Q. Guy ZZ/mer- A TTORNE I".

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN CO-,WAEHINGTON, D. c.

P. J. PAULY, JR- & G. TANNER.

FLUSH VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. l2. 19l5. 1,157,035.- I Patented 0ct;1 9,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,.

LZVVENTOR5.

. ,Gz/y Tknner BY I ATTORNEY.

ZZOLUMBIA PLANOURAPH C0.. WASHINGTON, D.

' Toall whom time concern:

m memes-mm PETER J; PAULY; m, AND anna, OF ST. totis ymr jsovsr.

. 'FnUsH vALvE.

Applicationfiled April 12, 1915. Serial No; 26,903.

Be it kn' wn that we, PETER J. PAUL), Jr, and GUY TANNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I Flush-Valves, of which the following is a full, clear, andjexact description, reference being had to the a'cc01n panylng drawings, forming a part hereof.

Our invention has relation to iniprove ments in flush 'valve's for closets; and it consists in the novel features of chn tructio more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the clainis; v 1

The present improvement is articularly directed to flush-valves'fofr closets ofjails, the object .being to provide a valve which may not be tampered with and put out of order by the risoner; one ilvhioh-inayfbe readily. installed in'a jail cell; one which can be djusted to deliver any predeterniined qnantityjoi flush 'watei'; one siis cep tible'of easy manipulation and tresponsive to' a Ininiinuni ainonnt of exertionor pres: sure; one which inaybe installed in any position relatively to the bowl which isto be flushed; and one possessing further and other advantages better apparent from a detailed descriptionthete i' in connection with the accompan ing drawings, in which 'Fignre 1 isa side elevation ct bowl showing the application of our inventlon thereto, Fig. 2 is atop plan of the; valve with parts broken away', showing in section the cell Wall to which the same is attached, anda portion of the iping coupled to the valvetFig. 3 is a cross-section on the line- S--'8 of Fig. 2; Figs. 4', 5, and 6 are long'i tndinal middle sections of thetalve casing" ner khown to the art; In the resehtexample', the valve casing isccupled tcthe with w of the jail cell in a manner to be more articularly hereinafter described, the bowl heih connected up to the valve-easing by "suitaile piping E, -E,the last: mentioned Specification of LettersPatent. Patented represents 7 t1 conventional closet bowl from which leads pipe being connected or screwed to the dis charge nipple or. leg 1 of the valve-casing The connections areefiected by th'e use of the usual unionsjor equivalent devices 0on vehtionally' shown herein, well known in the art, and-reqniring no detailed description.

The valve-casing C, inthe present e m- Oct. 13,1915, v

bodiinent ofgonr invention, is co'niposedof v a number oi' individnal parts, each of which subserves a special function, the details of the valve casing' and of the valve operating therein being as follows; The valve casingv comprises hollow member terminating at one end in a chamber or f cylinder 2, and

at the opposite end in oha iiber 3, the cjvlinder being closed a t its outer end bya, screwmp 4. Leadingfi oin the 'chaniber 3 is the discharge leg or nipple -l ab'ovej referred to. Both chambers 2, 3, coinrn'uni cate with the intake leg 5o;- that whieh isv cation between said leg 5 and the chamberl 2 being permanent, and. that between said,

leg and the chamber 3 being periodic or .in-l

teririittent, depending on theposition of the inain valve as more fully hereinafter def scrihed- The aXes of the chambers 2, amt coincident, the said chambers being tra'vgi ersed by a. valve: stein 6' whioh operatesf through. a stufiingbozrat the end of the,

valve-casing beyond the" chamber 3, the gland or follower a, of said stufiing 'boX terminating in. a head? provided with radially disposed sockets so, 'for-the'inse'rtion of a steel pin, nail, or'eqliivalent device whereby the said member a may be turned 01' rotated for a purpose presently to appear," The outer terminal of the valve ste n is provided with a reduced screw-threaded extension 6 the extension 6, there being interposed betweenthe glan'd a" and the nut 8, an expansion sprlng 9 coiled about the valve-stern,

the tendency of the spring being to force I ovei which is passed'a flanged hot 8 adapted Y to shoiilder against the stem at the base-of the valve-stem oiitwardly., The g la'ndd is virtually a hollowxnut traversed the" valve-stein, said niit screwing into the end of the valve easing as shown, and while fulfilling its function as a gland, it at the same time serves as a me ns, of, adjusting the ten-T sion of the controlling spring'l9', it being 016- viou's' that a turn ,ofthe Ineinber a in one di-.; rection'will compress the spring so as to inf crease the tension thereof, and a turn in the y pphsittt direction will relieve the spring" so as to reduce the tension thereof, the packlng ring a of the stufling boX being made of rubber, leather or other compressible ma-- terial to allow for the turning of the gland a in either direction, and yet maintain a tight joint through the stufling-box.

The end 'of the valve casing through which the valve-stem operates, terminates in a head it provided with a reduced screwthreaded nipple m which receives the shell or coupling 10, the latter abutting or shouldering against the head when driven fully home over the nipple (Fig. 2), the said shell having peripheral openings 0 through which access may readily be had to the nut or gland a for manipulating the same as previously pointed out. The end of the shell or union 1O opposite that which couples to the head it of the valve-casing, is eXteriorly screw-threaded, the said threaded portion having mounted thereon an inner clamping nut 11, and an outer flanged ring or disk 12, the body of the ring being received by a circular opening in the cell wall w, the flange t of the ring bearing against the face of the wall around said opening (Fig. 2). By this arrangement, when the nut 11 is driven against the inner face of the Wall w,the outer face being engaged by the flange t of the disk or ring 12, the said wall is firmly gripped between the members 11 and 12 and the valve-casing is rigidly secured to said 7 wall. The ring 12 has a central opening of slightly smaller diameter than the cross-sectional diameter of the passage way of the tubular shell or coupling 10, said opening receiving a cap-piece or cup 13 terminating at its edge in a flange or rim 14 which, while free to pass into the shell 10 is not free to pass through the opening of the ring 12. In practice the ring 12 is first passed over the cap 13 after which the flanged or enlarged end of the cap is inserted into the shell 10, the terminal wall or closed end of the cap being provided with a screw-threaded socket for receiving the reduced screw-threaded end 6 of the valve-stem. By giving the cap a few turns or rotations in proper direction the same will attach itself to the valve-stem extension 6, the ring 12 being free to turn about the shell until arrested by the end of the shell engaging the shoulder 8 formed around the opening receiving the cap 13 (Fig. 2), the inner face of the ring being by that time substantially flush with. the inner face of the wall to against which the nut 11 is driven, thus causing the wall to be gripped between the members 11,12, as previously described. The valvecasing being thus secured not only to the wall w, but to the pipes P and E, and being in the rear of the wall of the cell occupied by the prisoner (Fig. 1), it follows that tampering with the valve is practically impossible. Espe- 5 cially is this true in view of the fact that the ring 12 which is within the cell, is fin ished ofl smooth, thereby preventing the prisoner from securing a firm purchase or grip thereon with any attempt to unscrew the same for purpose of removing the cap 13. If, after the assembling of the parts, the prisoner unscrewed the cap 13 from the reduced terminal 6 of the valve-stem, the cap could not be wholly removed because with any attempt to Withdraw the same, it would be arrested by the flange 14 fouling the shoulder s (Fig. 2).

The valve-stem 6 is provided with an inner reduced section or portion 6 forming a shoulder r with the main section of the position of the valve on an annular seat or shoulder h, at the inner terminal of the chamber 3, between the points of intake and discharge. Along the inner circle of the flange e is formed an annular bead, rib, or ridge u serving as a seat for the auxiliary or starting valve V to be presently described in detail. The valve V has a free move ment longitudinally along the stem section 6, between the valve V and the shoulder 1', and when seated, it is held against its seat h by the combined pressure of the water behind it and by the pressure due to the tension of the spring 9 which draws the valve V against the seat u thereof (Fig. 4). Within the circle of the seat a, the valve V is provided with a series of circularly disposed ports or passage-ways 2', which are cut off from the intake 5 when the valve V is seated against the seat a, so that no water can flow into the chamber 3 or nozzle 1.

The section 6 of the valve-stem terminates in a reduced screw-threaded extension 6 to which the valve V is screwed, and when fully driven home, the valve shoulders against the unthreaded portion of said eX- tension (Fig. 6), a suitable gasket 17 and washer 18 forming the inner terminal of the valve, the gasket 17 directly engaging the seat u of the main valve V. At an inter mediate point of the valve V is formed an annular flange or rib 19 exterior to which is a screw-threaded'terminal reduced portion receiving a cup-shaped packing ring 20 which overhangs the flange 19, said packing ring being held in place by the flange 21 of a cup-shaped screw-cap 22 passed over the screw-threaded terminal of the valve, the peripheral walls and bottom of the screwcap extending some distance beyond the screw-threaded terminal vof the valve, there by forming a chamber at; in which'is freeto play the head '23 of a perforated check or retarding valve whose hollow stem 23 is free-to traverse loosely an opening a in the bottomof the cap 22, the pocket p in the screw 'cap 4- closing the rear end ofthe valve-casing C, aifording ample freedom to the stem 23 for any movements to which it may be subjected. The face or end of the screw threaded-terminal of the valve V is provided with a series of radial grooves-m forming passage-waysv or ports with the head 23. of the perforated check or'retarder valve 23, 23, WllBIll the head thereof is in engagement with the valve V '(Fig; 5) throughwhich ports Water is free to'iiow inwardly intothe :open end of a chamber 24 of the valve, the opposite or inner end of said chamber in turn communicating with the cylinder or chamber 2 of the valvecasing 0 through a series of radially disposed ports or passagesflniformed in the valve body and opening at their outer ends on the peripheral walls of the valve and within or behind theoverhanging portion V of the packing ring 20. For convenience the passage of the retarding "valve'23,23, is designated by the reference letter 0.

It will be seen from the foregoing that all the valves (V, V, 23, 23), are ported, that is to say, they are provided with pas sage-ways or ports subserving certain.func-' tlons and WlllCll contribute to the easy work ing of the device. The auxiliary or startingvalve Vis-in efiect a pistonvalve, op erating as it does in the cylinder 2, the main valve V being a reciprocating valve loose on the stem'section 6", and lagging behind the valve V by. reason of the play or independent movement accorded it between the shoulder 1" and the gasket 17 of the valve V.

The operation ofthe valve may be de scribed as follows:. When the device is not operating, the spring-9 draws the stem. 6 outwardly causing the starting valve. V to bear against the main discharge valve V, the latterseating against the shoulder b .not only in response to the tension of the spring, but by reason of the pressure against it'from the water 1n the IISGT'YP, and cylin der 2, it being obvious that the chamber of the cylinder will be permanently flooded or the wateris out off from the nozzle land And when a henee'fromthe'bofl B; 'When (Fig. 5) the (fa-p113 is pushed inwardly so as to force the stem 6 inwardlyfa distance 'sufli'cient to bring the shoulder 1' (Fig. 4)" of thevalve'stem u to the mainvalve V, the'valve V will have been unseated sufficiently to clear the" seat or rib u, thereby exposing the ports 'z' of the mainiva-lve to the water in'the chamber 2 and that flowing inthr'ough the intake -5,

the water now flowing'into the chamber- 3 and into thedischarge nipple 1, the flow of the water through the valve V in great measure removing; the Water pressure by which it was held against its seat when the ports i wer'eclosed by the valve V.- With this partial movement of the stem 6', and hence of the valve V, the ported check or retarding valve is unseated, the Water in the chamber 2 confined between the cap-22 and the screw-cap 4, fiowing freely through the cap 22,-passages m, cham ber '24,- and out through the passages a into the portion-of the cylinder 'op" posite the intake-5, as clearly shown by the arrows in Fig; When the cap 13 and its stem '6 are pushed in-their full limit (Fig. .6) the'full force of the stream passes directly from the intake 5 tothe discharge 1 throughthe chamber 3, and the flushing of the bowl continues until the-valves again are closed or brought to the position indi- ,cated in Fig 4. To unseat the valve V" after T I the initial unseating of the valve V can be accomplished with little effort, due to the fact that once the water finds its way through the ports 2', the water pressures against the valve become practically equalized, and only the tension of the spring 9 need be overcome, the same as with the unseating ofzthe s'ta rting valve V. f.

The rapidity with whichthe parts resume their normal position after being moved to the position indicated in Fig/6, depends" of course on the" tension of the springv 9' which tends to draw the stem ff6 and its valvesback to said normal position; but

this rapidity is regulated by the cross-sec tion of'the port in theretarding val've23, I 23. It will be seen by an inspection of" Fig.5, that with a return of the stem and valves .to normal position, the checkvalve 'head'23 will seat over the port 0 of the cap.

22, so that the only Way the water can flow back into the rear end of the cylinder 2. (where'avacuum naturally forms) is through I;

the portc; and this port may be constricted in practice to allow the Water to-fiowtherethrough atany. predetermined rate of speed, such speed de pending on the time it is desirable to keep the valves unseated to" flush the bowl thoroughly. Some bowls 'may'require'say four ga'llons of water for a thorough flush; others six gallons; and

others eight gallons or some other quantity.

.nslr-valveisinitially installed,-

a retarding check 23, 28, with a cross-section of port conformable to the desired speed of return of the parts to normal position, is deposited in the cup 22. Should it be desired at any subsequent time to change the volume of flush water, the orig-- It is of course obvious that the detailsof the valve as shown might be'materially departed from without in any wise aifecting the nature or spirit of the invention.

. Neither need the valve be restricted in its application to flushing purposes, the title flush valve in no way restricting the scope of the invention or claims thereof. The member 13 operates as a push button or knob, playing freely in the shell 10, and in no wise interfering with the action of the spring and whenever a bowl needs flushing all that the user of the bowl need do, is to push in the'cap 13 as far as it will go (Fig. 6) when the apparatus will automatically release the water from the pipe P and flush the bowl, after which the parts will return to their original positions (Figs. 2, 4,) under the action of the spring 9, the length of time of such action depending on the size of the port opening of the retarding valve 23, 23, or its equivalent.

Having described our invention what we claim is: p

1. A fiush-valve provided with a casing chambered for the passage of liquid and having intake and discharge means communicating with said chamber, a valve-seat in the casing interposed between the points of intake and discharge, a ported main valve normally engaging said seat, a ported balanced starting valve seating against the main valve opposite the intake, the valves operating in the chamber of the casing, a spring-controlled operating stem fixed to the starting valve and passing loosely through the main valve, the latter having a limited movement along the stem to and from the starting valve, a limited movement of the stem in a given direction separating the valves and establishing communication between the intake and discharge through the ports of the main valve, means on the stem for unseating the main valve with a further movement of the stem in the same direction, thereby establishing direct communication between the intake and discharge through the casing chamber, a member carried by the starting valve provided with a chamber in free communication with the ports of the valve and with an opening through which the liquid in the chamber of the valve-casing traversing the valve may freely circulate, and a ported check or retarding valve provided with a hollow stem loosely operating through said opening and terminating in a head in the chamber of the member aforesaid.

2. In a flushing apparatus of the character described,a starting valve comprising a member having a chamber opening through one end of the valve, a series of radial grooves on the end of the valve leading to the chamber, radial ports leading through the valve body from the interior of the chamber, a chambered cap carried by the valve and having its bottom spaced from the grooved end of the valve, said bottom being provided with an opening, a perforated disk valve in the chamber of the cap cooperating with the grooved end of the starting valve, and a ported stem forming a part of the disk valve and operating freely in and through the opening of the cap bottom.

3. In a flushing apparatus of the char acter described, a valve-casing, a valve-supporting and operating reciprocating stem passed through one end of the casing, a stuffing box comprising a packing ring and screw gland traversed by said stem, the outer end of the stem being provided with a reduced screw-threaded extension, a nut passed over the same and shouldered against the stem, a protecting cap screwed over the screw-threaded extension and terminating at its inner end in a flange, a ring passed over the cap and provided with a shoulder adapted to foul the flange on the cap with an attempted removal of said cap, a shell screwed to the ring and valve casing and provided with openings to afford access to the screw gland, an expansion spring coiled about the stem and interposed between the gland and nut on the stem, and'a clamping nut on the screw-threaded portion of the shell operating in conjunction with the ring to grip a suitable wall or fixed support between them, the said support being provided with an opening for the insertion of the shell.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

PETER J. PAULY, JR. GUY TANNER.

Witnesses:

EMIL S'rARnK, E. M. KALBFLEISCH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent Washington, D. 0." 

